Trap-nest.



J. J. CALDWELL.

TRAP NEST.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16. 1914.

1,149,340. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

f' f- Qty/ch06 WITNESSES INVENTOR A zlorney 3 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.,WAsHlNOToN. u. c.

J. J. CALDWELL.

TRAP NEST.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. IBM. 1,149,340., PatentedAu 10,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FS 23 E0 7 f' fflfi/dwefl WITNESSES 11v ENTOR A ltarneys COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH C0.,WASH|NOTON, D. c.

JOHN J. CALDWELL, 0F OCONTO, WISCONSIN.

TRAP-NEST.

Specification of Letters Intent.

natenteunu 10,1915.

Application filed April 16, 1914. seen No. 832,253;

To (ZZZ whom it concern 'Be it known that I, JOHN J. CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oconto, in the county of Oconto and'State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Vests; and .Idohereby declare the following to be a run, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in .theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to nests for fowls and has particular reference to that type of such devices known as trap-nests.

As a principal object this invention contemplateslthe provision of a nest which will beself-closingon the entrance of the fowl and thereby prevent the exit of the fowl until it is desired to release the same and willalso preventthe entrance of other fowls while the nest is occupied.

A further object is to provide a trap-nest ofthe foregoing type which will be readily collapsible for the purpose of washing and scalding, essential feature of sanitary nests.

An object of equal importance with the foregoing'is to provide a trap-nest of the type described which is constructed with such regard .to proportion, number and arrangement of parts as to be cheaply manufactured, will be durable and ,efiicient in operation. and maybe readily set-up or taken down with a'minimum expenditure of time and labor and without requiring the use of any'tools.

The above and additional objects are accomplishedbv suchmeans as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularlypointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

WVith reference .to the drawings wherein Ihave illustrated the'preferred embodiment of my invention and a modification and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts, Figured is a perspective view of my complete device as 'it appears when set for the entrance of a'fowl, Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection showing in dotted lines the closed portion of'the'trap, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the removable bottom detached from the nest,

Fig. djisa longitudinal section of a modified forlnof my device, Fig. 5 is a plan view'of the detachable bottom used in connection with the N modified form shown in "Fig. 4,- F1gu6'1s a detail of the'removable joint usedfront elevation of a cabinetcontaining-a-plurality of nests.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to those figures showing the preferred form of my invention it will be seen thatthenest proper consists ofthe sides 10 and 11, the end 12, theremovable bottom 13, and the partial front wall 14. The vertical meeting faces 15 of thesides l0 and 11 with the end walls 12 and '14 are beveled as shown ,in Fig. 6 and flanges 16 are formed on the outer ends of these beveled portions and at right-angles to the body portions of the sides and end walls respectively anda cylindrical resilient member 17 provided with a vertical slit receivesthe beveled portionslin holding the sides and endsrtogether and iskept inplace by the-angular flanges 16 previously mentioned. 'It will be noted that {this construction provides a boX-like structure which 'is readily capable of disassemblage by merely sliding the cylindrical resilient keeper 17 vertically upward until out of engagement with the beveled portions 15. It will be further noted in this connection that-all parts of my trapnest previously described and all parts to follow except where specific description is included are-preferablymade of sheet metal so that they'maybe easily washed and scalded in order to keep ithe-nest free from vermin and entirely sanitary.

The front wall '14:,as has been noted, only partially covers the front opening of the nest, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. As a further means of spacingthe side walls 10 and 11 adjacent their front extremities, I provide the transverse brace 18 formed with the integral inverted U-shaped members 19, the arms of said members being spaced surficiently'to admit of the entrance of'the side stitute the trap portion or the nest. The rear section 21 is "adapted to slide upon the flanges 20 "of the side-walls and 1 1 when being removed, but is normally secured by. any desirable means, such as brackets 22 in Fig. 2, to the rear wall 12. The forward end of the portion21 is hingedly connected to the second portion 23 as shown at 24.

The forward end of this portion 23 is in turn connected by soldering or any other desirable means to the trap-panel 25, which when set occupies the horizontal position shown'in Fig. 2, and which is provided with the right-angular, downwardly extending flange 26, which bears upon the intermediate panel 23 at its forward end and innerlyof the front wall 14. This trap panel 25 is hingedly connected as at 26 to the gate or closure member 27. This gate 27 consists of a substantially rectangular frame having integral ears'or lateral extensions 28 formed on theouter edges and is adapted to be coverefd with wire 29. The movement of this trap will be hereinafter more fully described.

As a transverse partition for my nest I provide the partial inner wall 30, which is formed at its upper outward extremities with the ears 31, which project through suit able apertures 32 formed in the side walls 10 and 11 soas to removably secure the same when the box is assembled. It will be apparent from Fig. 2 that thisinner partition 30-is so positioned as to have any forward movement prevented by the pivots of the hinges 24, and as a means for preventing any backward movement I provide the angular lugs or braces 33, which are secured to the panel 21of the bottom 13. I I

In operation the trap is set as indicated in Fig. 2 of the'drawings and a nest is made or placed in the inward compartment formed by thepartition 30. The fowl in approaching the nest steps upon the gate 27,

then in a horizontal position, and continuing steps next upon the trap panel 25, when it is apparent that the. weight of the fowl will force the panel 25 and the connected panel 23 into the position shown by the dotted lines, the last named panel swinging on the hinge 24, and the resulting movement forcingthe gate 27 to swing upwardly upon the hinge 26 to assume the position shown in i dottedlines at 33. The lugs 28 will engage with the forward endsof the sides 10 and 11 and prevent any further backward movestructure of the nest is essentially similar to that already described, differing only in the construction of the movable bottom and the transverse partition. In this form the partition is dispensed with and in its place there are secured to the walls 19 and 11 the lugs 34, which are spaced slightly from the bottom flange 20 in order to permit of the sliding bottom'35 being positioned therebetween. These lugs 34 each have a rightangular flange 36 extending ashort distance into the nest. FiXed upon the innermost panel 37 of the slidable bottom 35 are the leaf springs 38, which are normally engaged with the flange 36, as shown in Fig. 2, to

prevent the withdrawal of the bottom. At

the forward end of this panel 37 is provided the hinge 39 which is connected to thev vertical flange 40 of the trap panel'41., Thisv trap panel 41 is hinged at 42 with a gate or closure member 43, which is in all respects similar to the gate 27 of the previous form of my invention, being provided. with the outwardly extending catch members 44 and covered with the wire mesh material 45.

The operation of this modified. form is substantially similar to that already described, the weight of the fowl upon the trap panel 41 being sufiicient to depress the same on the hinges 39 into the position shown in the dotted, lines of Fig. 4, the'gate' 43 swinging upward to assume the vertical position shown at 46, the catch members 44 operating as before to limit such upward movement. In this form of my invention, however, it ispossible to remove the slidable bottom 35 without disassembling the boX of the nest by simply pressing down upon the leaf spring 38 and pulling the bottom forward until the springs have cleared the flange 36in which event the bottom can then be readily pulled out. t

In Fig. 8 I have shown a number of my trap nests arranged in tiers for the convenient supervision of the proprietor there of. It will have been seen in the foregoing that no top .or cover has been provided for my nest and it is not'desirable that such be provided with the nests when used as shown in this figure. The cabinet is preferably made of angle iron and T-iron and includes side walls 47 a cover 48 and vertical partitioning walls 49, the resulting compartments being further divided off by the members 50 so that a space is left in each compartment sufficient to receive a trap nestof the foregoing description.

lVhile in the foregoing I have illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification such combination and arrangements of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention and the principal modification thereof, I desire'to emphasize the fact that I may make such minor changes in the matters of proportion and degree in the later adaptations of my device as shall not alter the spirit of my invention as de fined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a collapsible sheet metal trap-nest end walls side walls, independent means for removably securing said end walls to said side walls, removable means for bracing and spacing said side walls, a transverse partition pivotally mounted on said side walls, a removable bottom and means carried by said removable bottom for holding said pivoted partition stationary.

2. In a collapsible sheet metal trap nest, end walls side walls, independent removable means for securing said end, walls to said side walls, removable bracing means for said side walls, a transverse partition pivotally mounted on said side walls, flanges formed along the lower edges of said side walls, a bottom panel slidable upon said flanges, a second panel hingedly connected to said first panel and animal operated means connected to said second-panel for closing the nest.

3. In a collapsible sheet metal trap nest having a partially open end, end walls, side walls, independent means for removably securing said end Walls to said side walls, removable bracing means for said side walls, flanges formed along the bottom of said side walls, a pivoted transverse partition carried by said side walls a removable bottom panel slidable upon said flanges, means carried by said panel and holding said pivoted partition against movement in one direction, a second panel hingedly connected to said first panel, said hinged connection preventing the partition from moving in the other direction, a closure member for said partially open end and means carried by said second panel and adapted to be actuated by a fowl for operating said closure member.

4-. In a collapsible sheet metal trap nest having a partially open end, end walls, side walls, independent means for removably securing said end walls to said side walls, removable bracing means for said side walls, flanges formed along the bottom of said side walls, a pivoted transverse partition carried by said side walls, a removable bottom panel slidable upon said flanges means carried by said panel for holding said pivoted partition against movement in one direction, a second panel hingedly connected to said first panel said hinged connection preventing the partition from moving in the other direction, a closure member for said partially open end, and a trap panel connected to said closure member and carried by said second panel, said trap panel being adapted to be actuated by the weight of a fowl to operate said closure member.

5. In a collapsible sheet metal trap nest.

tion from moving in the other direction, a

closure member for said partially open end and means carried by said closure member and adapted to contact with the ends of said side walls for limiting the movement of said closure member. I

6. In a collapsible sheet metal trap-nest having apartially open end, end walls, side walls, independent means for removably securing said end walls to said side walls, removable bracing means for said side Walls, a partition carried by said side walls, flanges formed along the loweredges of said side walls removable panels slidably. positioned" upon said flanges, separate means carried by said panels contacting with said partition on opposite sidesto normally prevent movement of the partition, and a closuremember hingedly connected to said panels.

7. In a collapsible sheet metal trap-nest having a partially open end, end walls, side walls, independent means for removably securing said end walls to said side walls, removable bracing means for said side walls, a partition carried by said side walls, flanges formed along the lower edges of said side walls, removable panels slidably positioned upon said flanges, separate means carried by said panels and contacting with said partition on opposite sides to normally prevent movement of said partition, a trap panel secured to said movable panels, and a closure member hingedly connected to said trap panel and adapted to be operated to close said open end when said trap panel is actuated by the weight of the fowl.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN J. CALDWELL. lVitnesses S. F. Font), H. E. CALDWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G. 

